Meet Cleo: This week’s pet page features Cleo, a three-year-old Havanese dog.
Photo by
Grace Carter
When the Kelly family got Cleo, they called her the huntress. You could be mistaken in thinking that Cleo is a bloodhound or an Australian kelpie, but you would be wrong. Cleo is an adorable Cuban Havanese dog who is afraid of her own shadow.
Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content
Cleo’s owner, Cathy Kelly, said being protective isn’t one of her strengths.
The huntress: Cleo the Havanese dog and Cathy Kelly.
Photo by
Emma Noonan
“If you were an intruder, she would run and hide,” she said.
“She wouldn’t be a guard dog.”
Cleo wants to be there for her beloved owners, but fear often gets in her way.
Mrs Kelly said that “her default is a scaredy-cat” and she is “scared of everything”.
Scaredy-dog: Cleo has many fears, including the camera.
Photo by
Grace Carter
However, this doesn’t stop Cleo from being her playful, affectionate self and doing her favourite daily activities.
She loves a good sleep on top of the couch with her family close by, and she loves to be active outside by running with her owners in the early mornings.
The Kelly family got her back in September 2021, and now she is three years old.
She loves to meet new people and is always happy to “play with her stuffed giraffe” as “she likes chasing after her toys,” according to her big brother and owner, Brodie Kelly.
Cuddly: Having cuddles with Brodie Kelly, 13, is one of her favourite things to do.
Photo by
Grace Carter
Cleo has endless energy and enthusiasm but many fears. Recently, a new one was added to the list.
She loves affectionately playing, but the moment someone tries to take a photo of her, she runs in the opposite direction. She really hates the shutter noise from a camera, much to the amusement of her owners.
Look away: Cleo doesn’t like to have her photo taken.
Photo by
Grace Carter
Although she can get a bit scared, Cleo especially looks forward to one particular day.
“We take her to school, and she loves it. That’s her favourite day of the week,” said Mrs Kelly.
Brodie added that it really tires her out.
“By the end of the day she is ready to hit the bed,” he said.
Good girl: Cleo loves to go to school.
Photo by
Emma Noonan
Cleo also likes to cause a bit of mischief in the house.
“She likes to climb up on the table. She like climbing on them and standing on them. She pretends that she is the queen of the world,” Brodie said.
“She loves to sit on chairs and be a human.”
Even though Cleo may not be a huntress or a guard dog, she is fiercely loved by her family, and they would not trade her for the world.
Best pals: Cleo and Brodie Kelly.
Photo by
Emma Noonan
